- Author
- Esposito, F. M.
- Title
- Blood and Air Concentrations of Benzene, Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen Cyanide Following Inhalation of These Gases or Thermal Decomposition Products of Polymers Releasing These Toxicants. Special Report to National Bureau of Standards Toxicity of Plastic Combustion Products.
- Coporate
- Pittsburgh Univ., PA
- Sponsor
- National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC
- Report
- Thesis, September 1987, 274 p.
- Contract
- NBS-GRANT-60NANB4001
- Keywords
- benzine | carbon monoxide | hydrogen cyanide | blood | air | inhalation | thermal decomposition | toxicity | plastics | combustion products | oxygen | blood | smoke | toxicity | combustion | fire gases | human beings | statistical analysis | fire fatalities | combustion toxicity | blood cyanide | carboxyhemoglobin | exothermic reactions | chemical bonds | animals
- Identifiers
- mice; low oxygen; gas exposure; microdiffusion
- Abstract
- Combustion may be defined as a series of exothermic reactions between a fuel and oxygen in the air. Pyrolysis occurs when extreme heat is present and oxygen is limited. Fuels for combustion can be gases, liquids or solids which invariably contain hydrogen and carbon (organic). Smoldering combustion is frequently the first event prior to initation of a fire. Initially the combustion process is slow when ventilation is limited. The heat generated causes chemical bonds within the fuel to rupture thus releasing small quantities of volatile gases. Larger air movements across the smoldering area increases the surface temperature which in turn produces more gases. Eventually, sufficient volatile products mix with air to form a flammable mixture that erupts into flames. The heat generated by the fire flames is conducted back to the solid or liquid fuel source which yields more combustible gaseous products to feed the flames. Flaming combustion will continue until either the fuel or the oxygen supply is diminished and no longer provides the needed fuel-air mixture. A flammable gas-air mixture will autoignite when provided with adequate surrounding temperatures or some other source of energy such as a spark or flame.